A Hint of Spice

This is one Chaat which is quick to make.Not much to do and very Tasty.

Ingredients:
2 cups boiled chickpeas - (kabuli chana) (You can also use 1 can of chickpeas)
2 boiled potatoes - cut into pieces
1 big Onion-finely chopped
1/2 Cup Papri
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped green chillies
1 teaspoon chaat masala
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
salt - to taste
1/2 tsp Jeera powder
1/4 tsp Rock salt (optional)
1/2 tsp or more Chilli powder
Sev to garnish

Directions:
1.Mix all ingredients together except the papri and sev.
2.Mix Papri and sev just before serving.

Tip: If you dont have Papri ready at home,just cut Flour Tortilla in diamond shapes and deep fry .It tastes the same as Papri.

This goes to Rachel for her event My Legume Love Affair and to Susan who is the creator of the MLLA event.
I am also sending this to Akila for her event Dish Name starts with:A

Aloo tikki is a savory appetizer which can be eaten as is or in many different ways...Aloo Tikki Chaat,Cholle Tikki,Vegetable Burger(if the patties are little bigger),or as cocktail snack(if the patties are really small).One dish many ways to serve....yummmm.


As you can see above the tikki's are heart shaped...this was what I made for valentine's day.My DH just loves anything spicy..though we are trying to cut down on spicy and oily food...but I guess once in a while is allowed.Right???Anyways coming back to the recipe

Ingredients
6-8 medium sized potatoes-boiled and peeled
1-2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala
salt according to taste
3-4 tblsp bread crumbs (see tips below)
Oil for Pan frying the tikkis( notice pan frying and not deep frying)
heart shaped cookie cutter-if you want to make tikkis in that shape(optional)

Directions
1.Mash the boiled potatoes and mix salt,red chilli and Garam masala.
2.Add the bed crumbs and mix well with mashed potatoes.
3.Shape the tikkis in round shape or if you want any other shape,keep the cookie cutter on the pan in which you plan to pan fry the tikkis and press the potato masala in the cookie cutter.Remove the cookie cutter and make the rest of the tikkis the same way.
4.Using Oil spray ..spray some oil on the pan and let it heat well.Once it is very hot put the tikkis in it and bring the heat to medium-medium low.
5.Wait patiently...less oil means cooking on low heat and for a little more time but the results are wonderful.
6.Once golden brown,flip and let it cook on other side.
7.Serve hot with cholle for cholle tikki.Top with finely cut onions,imli chutney,coriander and sev.
8.Alternately serve with yogurt poured on top of tikkis with imli chutney,coriander chutney,onions and sev for Aloo-Tikki Chaat.
'njoy!!!

Tips
1.If you don't have bread crumbs readily available..no problem.For every medium sized potato take a sandwich bread slice...any kind will work ..white bread,wheat bread.Soak it in water for few seconds and then mash it potatoes.It will do the work of binding.
2.If you dont have bread or bread crumbs...no problem again .If you have murmure (also known as puffed rice/kurmure/murmure/mamra) grind them coarsely in the mixer and mix with the potatoes.They work well.

Sending this recipe to Priya for her St.Valentine's Day Event and to Akila for her Event Dish Name Starts with-A

My experiments with food and cooking started after seeing that my DH always came back hungry when we were eating out.He is always concerned about what are we eating,its quality and the amount of fat in it.So I started experimenting and trying recipes at home.
I tasted this Kachori at my friends place .As we decided to drop in suddenly to surprise them she had to delve into her freezer.She came out with Matar Kachori.I loved it!!!!So I decided to try it at home .Kept on experimenting and finally came up with this.Hope you like it.

Ingredients
For Cover
All Purpose Flour- 1 cup
Salt- Acc to taste
Oil- 1 table spoon
Frozen Peas- 1 cup.
Oil- 1 tablespoon (for making Filling)
Hing/asafoetida- 1 pinch
Jeera/cumin seeds- ¼ tsp
Coriandar powder - ½ tsp
Red Chilli - 1 tsp (you can reduce it according to your taste)
Garam masala- 1/4 tsp
Amachoor powder - ¼ tsp
Green chilli - 2-3 ( finely cut )
Ginger - 1 inch long piece ( Finely Grated )
Salt - Acc to taste
Oil- For frying

Method

Filling
1.Thaw the frozen peas and blanch them in hot water.Let it cool for few minutes and then make a paste of the peas in the blender.
2.In a heavy bottomed pan put oil and let it heat.Add hing,jeera,saunf,Green Chilli,Ginger and let it splutter.
3.Add dhaniya powder and then add the peas.
4.Add red chilli,Garam Masala,Amchoor Powder, and salt.Let it cook for 5-6 minutes. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan .
5.Take small flour balls and roll it to 2 cm diameter.
6.Put a small amount of filling and seal the open edge to form small balls.
7.Fry the kachoris and let it fry till it turns golden brown.
8.Sprinkle Chat powder on top of kachori and serve with tamarind Chutney,Green Chutney or simply Tomato sauce.